Homeland Security

Further Reading

U.S. Department of Defense
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)
News Release

No. 881-12

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 08, 2012

Update on the DoD and National Guard Response to Hurricane Sandy

The Department of Defense (DoD) is a fully integrated partner in the federal, state, and local response to Hurricane Sandy and is appropriately postured to provide additional assistance to civilian authorities, as a result of the northeaster currently sweeping through the mid-Atlantic and northeastern United States. To address potential issues from resulting this northeaster, DoD has retained significant capacity in the region to provide emergency temporary power and pumping capability and to distribute fuel, food, cold-weather clothing, and other comfort items as requested by civil authorities.

The U.S. Army Reserve’s (USAR) 401st Quartermaster Team pumped approximately seven feet of water out of Long Beach High School, and a significant amount of flood water from the Long Beach Recreation Center and Long Beach Development Center on Staten Island. They are currently working to pump water from a submerged housing area in the coastal area of Brooklyn. The USAR’s 431st Quartermaster Team is scheduled to begin water pumping in flooded locations around the city today.

Air Force teams completed unwatering operations at the Rockaway Waste Water Treatment facility and East School in Long Beach, N.Y. Army divers conducted repairs to the pier system at Caven Point, N.J. A Navy dive detachment continues to support unwatering operations at the World Trade Center site.

A Marine detachment continues assessments with Army engineers in Far Rockaway, N.Y. They also pumped 90,000 gallons of water from area apartment buildings and approximately 750,000 gallons of water from homes and parks in Breezy Point, N.Y.

Defense Logistics Agency (DLA)

In total, more than 6.2 million meals have been shipped or are en route to FEMA facilities in West Virginia, New York and New Jersey. Another seven million are in production. DLA delivered 48 pallets of bottled water to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JBMDL), N.J. DLA also delivered two portable x-ray machines to JBMDL with four more en route. Additionally, DLA has delivered 1.43 million gallons of fuel Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) distribution locations in New Jersey and New York.

DLA provided 600,000 meals, 600 cases of water as well providing 350 pounds of propane per day, and 2,000 gallons of diesel fuel per day to support 11 American Red Cross mobile kitchens in New Jersey and New York.

DLA has delivered two 1,000KW generators from Lakehurst, N.J., to the Carteret Fuel Terminal, N.J.

Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)

USACE continued its support to response operations focusing on unwatering and power generation missions and the transition to recovery operations with the initiation of debris, temporary housing, roofing and infrastructure assessments.

Ten of the 14 sites USACE was tasked to unwater have been cleared. Brooklyn Battery Tunnel has been unwatered and maintenance pumping is ongoing. USACE pumping operations at the Montague Tunnel, Amtrak Substation Kearney, PATH Train tunnel, Passaic Waste Water Treatment Plan continues.

USACE continues to support emergency power restoration efforts. USACE has 483 generators staged at forward locations with an additional 116 en route. USACE has received 500 power restoration actions. 460 assessments have been completed with three in progress and 37 not yet started. Currently 105 generators are installed, 39 in progress of being installed with 144 installations projected.

National Guard Operations

Nearly 6,000 Army and Air National Guard Soldiers and Airmen from 14 states are distributing food, water and fuel throughout the affected area as well as conducting, communications, security, sheltering, debris removal and transportation missions in support of recovery efforts.

New York National Guard (NYNG): NYNG personnel members have distributed 1,439,654 meals from 21 Points of Distribution sites since Nov 1. 50 NYNG personnel are supporting Red Cross shelters at six sites in sites in Nassau County. NYNG personnel are also sorting and distributing donated goods from the Javits Center and delivering them to three points of distribution sites.

New Jersey National Guard (NJNG): The NJNG distributed 12,590 blankets, 1,740 cots and 3,648 towels since Nov. 1. They also distributed 93,229 gallons (since Nov. 2), of fuel to emergency responders from four distribution points in support of FEMA and DLA. The NJNG are providing tents and mobile kitchen trailers to shelter and feed emergency management personnel. The NJNG continues to assist civil authorities at state-run shelters with transportation, meals, water, and power generation in Middlesex County, Monmouth County, the Jersey City Armory, Glen Gardner, and Ocean County. Unarmed New Jersey Guard members are providing safety and security support to law enforcement agencies in Monmouth and Ocean Counties.